Former UFC and Bellator MMA title challenger Yoel Romero returned to action on Saturday, taking part in Mike Perry’s rather secretive new promotion, Dirty Boxing Championship.
The upstart entity is striking-based but allows blows in the clinch, elbows, and strikes to a downed opponent. 5oz gloves, and three minute rounds, are featured. For obvious reasons, it’s the type of ruleset that would attract any number of MMA fighters, but the promotion’s inaugural show was essentially a dark event, with no live broadcast of the action.
Romero, 47, was last in action in February as part of the PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions card, where he defeated fellow UFC vet and title challenger Thiago Santos. Prior to that, the “Soldier of God” had lost a title shot against then-light heavyweight champ Vadim Nemkov.
His return at Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship came against Power Slap alum Duane Crespo, with the bout announced just less than a day before the event. Briefly, Mike Perry himself had teased that he would face Romero; that might have been the better option, as Crespo appeared to be seriously outmatched by the Cuban Olympian.
A couple of left hands set up the end for Crespo, who dropped in the corner with Romero (16-7 MMA) looming over him. No follow-up strikes, which would have been allowed, were required. The fight was contested at heavyweight.
Jon Jones, Paige VanZant, and other combat sports notables were reportedly on hand for the event.
